Forensics team earns top small school award in Kansas

The Bethel forensics squad earned the top small school award for forensics in the state Feb. 18-19 at the State of Kansas Individual Events and Parliamentary Debate tournaments. Squad members earned 17 awards, including three sweepstakes awards. In individual events, Bethel placed first among the six small schools competing and third overall. In debate competition, Bethel earned first place overall as best in the state.

Ten members of the team participated in the tournament, competing against 10 other colleges and universities. Their performance in individual events placed them ahead of five other institutions in the “small school” category: Baker University, Hesston College, Kansas Wesleyan, Ottawa University and Washburn University.

Lindsey Miller, senior from Haven, was named state champion in informative speaking. Justin Shook, junior from Lyons, placed second in communication analysis, fifth in after dinner speaking and sixth in extemporaneous speaking. Shannon Carey, sophomore from Moundridge, placed second in impromptu speaking and third in after dinner speaking. Robert Weaver, junior from Wichita, placed second in extemporaneous speaking and third in impromptu speaking. Becky Schulz, freshman from Newton, placed fifth in extemporaneous speaking. Bethany McElhiney, junior from Wichita, placed sixth in prose interpretation.

The debate team of Lindsey Miller and Peter Miller, sophomore from Haven, were the state champions in debate, going undefeated. Peter was named the top debate speaker.

Becky Schultz and Cory Buchta, sophomore from Newton, earned third place in team competition, while Robert placed fourth overall in individual speaking.

Students, faculty and alumni participate in music convention

Five faculty members and seven music education students participated in the Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA) annual convention in Wichita, Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 23-25. They staffed a booth promoting the music department and Bethel College Academy of Performing Arts (BCAPA), and attended various concerts and workshops.

Trumpet player Aaron Linscheid, junior from North Newton, was selected to perform in the Kansas Intercollegiate Band.

Saxophone player Brett Jackson, sophomore from North Newton, accompanied the Newton Community Children’s Choir in a performance at the convention.

Don Kehrberg, faculty member with BCAPA, brought a Bethel Academy Cello Quartet that included Parker Stanley, junior from Liberty, Mo., and three Newton High School seniors--Jessica Dickinson, Brianna Griffin and Terra Wiens.

The college students are members of Bethel’s chapter of the College Music Education National Conference. Those attending KMEA also included Megan Abrahams, sophomore from Canton; Joel Garber, junior from Hesston; Joel Linscheid, sophomore from North Newton; and Chelsea Vaught, senior from Henderson, Neb. Steve Jones, Kathryn Kasper, Karen Schlabaugh and Richard Tirk represented Bethel faculty. Steve was a judge for the KMEA Festival Jazz Band auditions.

A number of alumni participated, as well, some bringing students selected to perform with KMEA vocal and instrumental groups. Rachel Dirks ’92, Lawrence, directed the Lawrence High School orchestra, and Kay Siebert ’81, Topeka, led the Topeka Collegiate Youth Choir in special concerts. Greg Bontrager ’88, North Newton, was chair of the KMEA Festival Choir.

Simulators give birth to new learning methods in nursing

With the purchase of Noelle, a life-sized, soft-plastic computerized birthing mother who can be programmed for all kinds of childbirth scenarios, the Bethel nursing department is one of only a handful of baccalaureate-level nursing program in the state to have simulation technology for junior nursing students in labor and delivery rotations.

Using the simulator allows for scenarios that can help students learn without posing a danger to mother or baby. Noelle can be programmed to deliver in “crisis,” such as a breech birth, placenta previa or with the umbilical cord wrapped around the baby.

The department also purchased Preemie Baby, which has blue lights in its cheeks, fingers and toes to simulate cyanosis, and pink lights that tell when a student has performed correctly to restore oxygen levels.

The $5,500 price tag for both was covered through nursing alumni gifts, with the bulk coming from the estate of Esther McDonald of Peabody, a 1946 Bethel Academy graduate.

The number of students in the nursing program has increased in recent years. On Feb. 12, the department honored 45 students in its annual lamplighting ceremony, the largest junior class in at least five years, according to director of nursing Gregg Schroeder.

Two named volleyball All-America scholar athletes

Two Bethel volleyball players were named 2005 Daktronics-NAIA All-America Scholar Athletes, as announced by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics on Jan. 31.

Stephanie Thimm, a senior chemistry major from Beatrice, Neb., and Bethany Trimble, a junior psychology and pre-med major from Clyde, received the honor. All-America Scholar Athletes must be nominated by their head coaches, be a junior or above in academic standing and maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Stephanie and Bethany both played in the opposite hitter position for the Thresher volleyball team, which finished the 2005 season as KCAC co-champions.

Hall of fame selections requested

Do you know of an athlete, coach, administrator or team who deserves to be in the Bethel College Athletic Booster Club Hall of Fame? The Booster Club is currently accepting nominations. Refer to www.bethelthreshers.com for qualification criteria and an application form.

Nominations for induction this fall are to be submitted by April 1. Those submitted after that date will be held for consideration in the future.

Homage to the Flint Hills at Kauffman Museum

Kauffman Museum will host a special exhibit, “Homage to the Flint Hills,” March 14-May 31. The exhibit features art inspired by the tallgrass prairie of Kansas, including a piece by alumnus Phil Epp ’72 of Newton. Kauffman Museum is the final stop in a 12-gallery tour through the state.

The exhibit features 37 works by 37 artists, all of whom live or have lived in Kansas. The prairie is depicted in a variety of media, from oil, acrylic, watercolor, charcoal and pastel to ceramic, fiber and photography.

The museum is open 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and is closed on Mondays and major holidays. Admission is $1.50 for children ages 6-16, $3 for adults.

New way to share class notes or update information

The form may be used to report changes in contact information, share educational or professional training beyond Bethel, update job information and indicate interest in being an alumni mentor, submit personal information such as a recent marriage or children, or communicate with the college in other ways.

The alumni office receives the information, as does the career services office if alumni want to be mentors. Those wishing it to go to other individuals or departments at the college may add that request in an “Additional Comments” section.

Become an alumni mentor

Marla Krell, director of career development and placement, continues to invite alumni to sign up as alumni mentors. Mentors may be asked to offer advice about opportunities in a field of study, provide connections related to finding a job, share insight into graduate school study, or give other professional or career-related tips. Contact can be by phone, e-mail or in person, depending on the students’ schedule and availability of the mentor.

“My goal is to establish a nationwide and maybe international alumni mentoring network for Bethel students,” Marla says. “Please consider this opportunity to give back to Bethel through your time and mentoring of current students.”